


Bright My Life

by AurumCast



Category: Batman (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Baby, F/M, Family, Fatherhood, Gen, Hospital, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-19
Updated: 2015-02-02
Packaged: 2018-02-05 06:44:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1809127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AurumCast/pseuds/AurumCast
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was left alone with the most valuable "thing" he'd ever had. Parenthood is a difficult road that Richard will have to walk on his own. With a baby at his care and a way too dangerous job as a night vigilant. Dick with have to deal with situations he never expected to face alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! My first work published here. Even thought it was already posted in FF, I hope you like it. Also I don't own any DC character. Also...unbeted   
> ,

What was he going to do now? What was he going to do without her? She was his best friend, his wife, his life. With her flaming red hair and those beautiful bluish green eyes that shined as the sea. She was just perfect for him and both of them love each other with the passion of a violent fire that was, now, completely consumed. They had gotten married two years ago, both of them completely in love and expecting a wonderful life together. But now…

She was gone…She was dead. Why?

Deadly pale in a hospital bed, fragile as a faded flower, her eyes were closed and her lips were dried. Her red hair was all spilled around her head in the white mattress. His body didn't look as a corpse; it had the perfect form and size, and the white tone was the only sign of life leaving her body.

It had been too unexpected. Her death had been so quick and silent that not even Bruce could have seen it coming. But Bruce wasn't her husband, Dick was. And Dick didn't know what to do…

"I'm sorry Mr. Grayson, we did all we could…but her heart…we can't…" A white dressed doctor was telling him that his wife was now dead. With a sorry look in his eyes he was telling him that the love of his life was gone…

Dick could barely stand on his feet…Barbara…she was dead, dead by a silent infection that made her heart stop. Why? Barbara…

A silent tear rolled down his face from his eye, followed by more tears that landed in Barbara's chest.

"Babs….please….you can't do that, sweetheart" said the young men in a soft whisper filled with agony. That was it….agony; that was the feeling that his soul, mind and body were experiencing. Agony and pain…as when his parents died…was all the same all over again. But now, instead of his parents, it was the women he loved. Barbara Gordon or, as she was called the last two years, Barbara Grayson…Richard Grayson's wife…

Slowly and tenderly he ran his fingers through his wife eyelids and cheekbones

"Please, sweetheart, I need you, I… I can't do it alone. Babs, please wake up…"knelt at her bedside and tenderly rubbing her hand Richard expected that in a second she would open her eyes, and then with a careless smile she would said that all had been a joke-a cruel joke-, that she was fine and that they could go home to take care of their… "Babs, we need you, please" He couldn't take it anymore, broken sobs escaped his mouth while hiding his face in her chest

The nurses that had been there were reduced to tears and sobs thanks to the shattering picture of the young man, begging his dead wife to wake up…

"We have to call someone else…" one of the nurses began to whisper but was cut off by some footsteps that announced the arrival more people to the room.

A tall and well-built man and two young boys that followed him close. Nurses and doctors recognized them instantly: Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake and Damian Wayne; Grayson's family. But Dick was just too busy crying into his wife's chest to realize that they had arrived.

Since the moment that Bruce saw Dick he knew it all. Dick hadn't looked so broken since the deaths of his parents…and now, Barbara's death.

"Dick…"Tim got nearer to comfort his older brother while Bruce asked the doctors what had happened. While Damian just stared at the horrible picture, with thinking eyes and a lump in his throat. He has never seen Grayson so broken before

"She…contracted a silent acting virus that eventually caused her a heart attack, but we are not sure about what kind of virus it was, we won't know it until the autopsy…We tried to stabilize her all night but her heart couldn't resist any longer. I'm sorry" the doctor said to Bruce and then he continued explaining medical terms and possibilities. Richard didn't heard any of this, the only thing that he knew was that Babs was now dead, that the one who had been the love of his life was gone and was never coming back, that all those nights making the city a better place were nothing when it was about an illness. A virus had taken her away, something he couldn't control.

"Did she have some other relative besides Mr. Grayson?"

"No, her father died a year and a half ago…and his mother died when she was a child, Richard is the only one" Bruce had to say, because it seemed that Dick wasn't capable to articulate a word.

But in Richard's mind there was someone, someone who lied the true in Bruce's statement. But not even Bruce knew about that human being. Anyway he still couldn't contact that someone; someone who was too small and young…

"Tim, get Richard to the manor, I will do the arrangements for the funeral and… "

"I can't go to the manor, Bruce. I have to stay here with Babs and then go home" Dick argued with a broken whisper looking at the billionaire

"They are going to take her to the autopsy's lab, Dick; you have to wait for them to give her body for the…funeral" The mention of that word made Richard's heart jump and shutting his eyes closed he began kissing Barbara's hands

"Then I'll be staying here, until we can leave this place" his voice was so broken and low that even Bruce had to listen carefully to understand him.

"Dick, come with me" Tim said in a low voice "we have to wait outside so they can take her" the young boy grabbed his brother hand and guided him out of the room, but before that, Dick kissed Barbara's cheek softly and whispered a painful "I love you"

They reached the waiting room, with Damian following them closely. Tim sited Dick in one of the armchairs and sited himself on the one next to his brother. Damian just stood next to Dick, trying to think what to say him...but nothing came to his mind that could fade a little the pain that the older of them was feeling in his soul.

Richard was completely shattered, to say the least, wondering why all those things clouded his life. What the hell had he done to deserve this? He wasn't a bad person, he tried to work hard for her, he tried to make the world a better place, he tried to make her happy, he tried his best...but life had other plans for him...for her. Barbara was a good woman, his first love, his best friend, his angel, his all. And now he was dealing with another death in his life. First of all his parents, then Jason (even if he returned from death, it hurt like hell when he died) and now Babs. Why...?

"You've been here all day, (night)" Tim cut him off "Do you want something to eat, some coffee?"

Dick shook his head

"I'm not hungry..." His phone rang suddenly, and getting it out of his pocket he pressed the green button

"Hello...yeah it's me, Jay..." Tim abruptly took the phone away from Dick's hands and put it on his ear

"What do you want, Jason?" said the boy roughly although the warning look Richard was giving him.

"Well hello, Replacement, could you, please, give back the damn phone to Dickiebird? I need to talk to him"

"He is not in conditions to talk with you right now"

"The hell he isn't..." After a little pause Jason got the message "It is Barbara, isn't it? How is she?"

"She's...wait, how do you know about it?" Tim's detective mind began to work at the moment and Richard tensed visibly beside him.

"Dick called me last night; I'm taking care of the ...that's not the matter, Drake. How is Barbara?!" Jason's voice got an annoyed tone that was characteristic on him. Richard got the last sentence and took his phone back from Tim's hands. Tim just frowned thinking in what Jason had said 'taking care of something...someone?'

"She's gone, Jay" his hands were trembling when he announced it and so more tears escaped his eyes

Silent came from the other line and then the sounds of footsteps and keys

"I'm on my way, I'll take your car" Jason's voice was deadly serious and Dick frowned a little

"What about...?"

"I'll call Wally and Artemis, don't worry about it" then he hung up

"What did Todd say?" Damian, who had been quiet all the time, asked

"That he is coming…"

Bruce entered to the room in that moment, looking grim and sad, as much as Bruce could look grim and sad. He got next to Richard and put his hand on the younger man shoulder, trying to comfort him, but still knowing it was useless. There was no amount of physic contact could make him get out from the pit of pain he was in.

"How can I go on, Bruce?"

That question…that single question, the one that everyone else in the waiting room had asked themselves at least once in their lives. How to answer that? He couldn't lie to him…What should he say? Lost your parents was painful, but lost the person you loved, the one you choose to spent your lifetime with, that had to be agonizing and shattering. It sure was.

"We'll be here for you, you'll get over, she would've wanted it that way, Dick" said Bruce squeezing Richard's shoulder 'and you have someone to look after, even if you want to keep it as a secret, you can't keep secrets from me, boy, and it hurts me a little, but you'll show it when you're ready' he thought with a sprinkle of bitterness.

"I can´t Bruce…" And there he lost it, tears streaming down his face to the ground and broken sobs leaving his mouth. He tried uselessly to hide himself in his arms, but a gentle embrace got in the way. Bruce was hugging him…What does it matter, now? The only embrace he wanted was the one of Barbara's thin arms. Still he clung himself to that hug as to a rescue table in the middle of the ocean, that hug and the 'someone' waiting for him in the apartment. A person who belonged to him and her.

He buried his face into his adopted father chest and then Tim touched his back gently and he embraced him, letting Bruce go.

Jason arrived five minutes later (breaking a few transit rules in the way, of course) and what he saw leaved him speechless. Richard, the ever happy and bright Richard was crying his eyes out into Tim's arms while Bruce had an arm placed on his back, drawing circles on it to calm down the young man.

The only one not having physical contact with him was Damian, who was currently sited in an armchair two seats away from the other three; awkwardly Jason found his way next to Damian while the young boy just stared at him.

"How much time since…?" He asked not bordering on put an annoying nickname at the end

"Forty minutes or so...he is been like this since we arrived" the grave tone in the "child" voice was unforgettable "why are you here?"

"He's is my brother, either I like it or not...I have to be here with him, as well as you"

"I didn't refer to that, Todd, what I wanted to say was: why did you know it? We got a call from the hospital, not from him, and you already knew that something was wrong when you called him"

"It's not my place to explain that and I doubt that the one who has to do it is in conditions to" Jason frowned, this didn't have to be like this...of the four of them Dick was the one who had the better chance to live happy ever after with his wife, Barbara was a strong young woman, in her early twenties, this wasn't supposed to happen to her.

"Jay?" a trembling voice got Jason's attention. The green eyed man raised his gaze just to see his older brother with puffy red eyes looking at him.

"Hey…Dickiebird, how are…."

"How is she?" he asked urgently with his blood-shot eyes filled with concern

"Artie said she would take care of her and don't let Wally get near her" Jason said with a slightly amused glance to the blue eyed man and running a hand through his dark-with-a-white-lock hair.

Tim, Damian and Bruce looked at the two men expectantly. Even when Bruce´s look was all a fake.

"What are you talking about? Who is "her"?" Tim asked while Damian gave his father a 'You already know about it' look.

Jason's eyebrows raised in amusement. They really didn't know about…

"Damian, Tim…Bruce. I…have a daughter. We…me and Babs…"Dick couldn't express himself correctly, but they got the essential of his statement.

Dick and Babs had a daughter…and they weren't aware of that until that moment.


	2. Chapter 2

“A daughter?” Tim was the one who broke the awkward silence they were in

“Yeah” Dick said with a lost look in his eyes, he was really trying to keep it together, but it was becoming harder each moment. Every one of them noticed it, but what could they say? After all Barbara was Dick’s wife and he wasn’t leaving the hospital until everything was sorted out.

"Did you know about it, father?" Damian asked even though he already knew the answer. Bruce knew it, Bruce had known it all the time of course. Tim was looking at Jason with accusing eyes. Jason knew, according to his earlier call, he already knew, too.

"Yes" Bruce answered nice and clear, not caring about the confused looks in his sons' faces, especially Dick's.

"You...you knew about her?" It was shocking...Bruce wasn't supposed to know about her, no one, besides Jason, Wally and Artemis, was supposed to know about his daughter, it was just to protect her from the dangerous life they had. But apparently Bruce had other plans "How?" the acrobat asked

"I was searching expedients in the hospital for a case and Barbara's appeared, Barbara’s maternal ward expedient” he said with and emotionless face that hided too much care for Bruce to show.

“Then you already know her name” Dick said flatly. Trying to control the sharp pain in his head, pain that emerged since the moment he took Barbara to the hospital, but somehow he noticed until then.

“Wait…what?” Tim interrupted Dick divagations “You have a child, Jason knows but we don’t? Whit exception of Bruce who found out accidentally? Why?” he wasn’t mad or angry…he was just shocked “How did you even scape the media?”

“I think those are too many questions, replacement” Jason frowned at Tim, this was not time for Richard to explain all those thing to anyone.

Surprisingly Tim got the message, Dick didn’t need more problems. That could wait until everything was calmed enough for them to talk properly.

“Sorry” the teenager said looking at the floor.

“It’s ok” Richard said running a hand over his face, trying to control the shaking of his hands and the tremble of his voice.

“You need to rest” Damian said noticing the movement. Richard always did that when he was tired or when something was hurting, now it could be both “You started doing that thing with your hands, Grayson”

“Don’t worry I just need to…” black spots where dancing across his eyesight and lights were getting dim “...sit down…for a moment” He tried to reach to the nearest chair, but his legs failed halfway there

“Hey!” Jason made it in time to grab his arm and avoid a nasty fall.

“Sorry I…I got…” Dick tried to explain that he was ok, that he only needed a moment to process all the things that were happening around him, but who was he kidding?  All was son screwed up, he barely could think straight.

“You got to take a rest and eat something” Bruce said “There’s someone who needs you and you have to be strong for her, please, go to the manor an let Alfred make something for you to eat, we’ll take care of the arrangements”

He was right, someone needed him. She needed him, his precious little Robin. His daughter.

“No, I’ll go get my daughter from Wally’s apartment and then I will be back, I have to wait for Babs” Dick said controlling the tremble of his voice when his wife name left his lips

“She can’t be here” Jason reminded him softly

“Dick, please, listen to me, we will solve this and you can take a break in the manor, I can go get your child from Wally’s, but seriously bro, you need to rest for a while” Tim said looking at his brother directly in the eyes, trying to convince him.

“I’ll go pick her up and then I’ll go to the manor” he said after a minute of thinking about it and the answer though soft, didn’t left space for arguing

“I’ll drive you” Jason offered

Dick just nodded, and the he addressed Bruce

“Call me if they said something about my wife, please, or if there´s any change” the young acrobat said to the older man in the room.  

“Of course” Bruce answered

“Thank you” Dick said softly, heading to the elevator. Jason and Tim followed him closely.

Damian followed them with his eyes and the he looked to his father.

“Will he be fine?” he asked sounding as young as he really was.

“I don’t know” Bruce answered sincerely, trying to answer himself as well. Because it was true that Dick was a strong young man, that he was stronger than most of the people he knew, but let’s be honest, this was beyond shattering. And he was already damaged. He wasn’t sure how his eldest will cope with the grief of Barbara’s death, or if he will cope with it at all.

Meanwhile Jason, Tim and Dick were having a rather uncomfortable and silent ride in Jason’s car towards Wally’s apartment. The tension was thick in the air. Jason and Tim exchanged glances full of worry for his oldest “brother”, while Richard just stared at the streets they were passing by, not really caring about they at all.

“What’s her name?” Tim asked suddenly with a barely notable lump in his throat from the backseat.

Both, Dick and Jay were taken back by his question.

“Her name?” Dick sounded confused and looked confused too

“Your daughter’s” Jason said with a deep sight that went unadvertised by his older brother. He was beyond worried, but what could he do? Also he was nervous, Dick was all too new at being a parent and doing it alone would be pretty damn difficult. He was worried for his little niece too. Because even someone as thought as Jason couldn’t help loving a girl like Dick’s daughter. Damn the girl was charming.

“Oh…she’s… her name is _Robin_ ” he said after doubting a little “ _Robin Marie Grayson_ ”  

The silence intensified for a moment. Just for Tim to let out a shy giggle and then smile fondly.

“How didn’t I imagine it?” he said with a sweet simile in his lips. Let it to Dick to find the most adequate and significant name for his child, _Robin_ , like all of them. It was like a symbol given to that baby. The symbol that united Richard and Barbara when they were still kids and then, the name which was given to the being that symbolized more than anything, the link between the two of them. Poetic in all sort of ways.

“It’s beautiful” the younger man of the three said “I can’t wait to know her”

Dick allowed his lips to form an almost nonexistent smile. Yes, her name was beautiful, and meaningful for him and Babs. He let himself get lost in the memory of the day they named their little girl:

_“She is beautiful like you” Dick said while lying in the bed with the newborn baby beside him, facing at her and tenderly running his fingers around his daughter sleeping face. Dim light filled the bedroom thanks to the only lamp illuminating it._

_“She is just beautiful” Barbara said from the other side of the bed_

_As first parents there was nothing they enjoyed the most than lay beside their baby and watch her sleep for hours, listen to her soft breathing, caress her with gentle fingers and be there when she awaked. Even when she had been a surprise for the couple, they were both grateful for the amazing gift that life had given them._

_“We should pick a complete name” she said suddenly glazing up at her husband eyes “Don’t misunderstand me, Marie is beautiful, but I want something that represent her for who she is”_

_“And who is she?” Dick asked with a playful smile_

_“A bind, between both of us, our family, our freedom, our joy” she says with sparkling eyes and then after a short pause her eyes grew bigger and her lips curved into the brightest smile in the world._

_“You got an idea” Richard said, knowing for a fact that when she got that look on her eyes a crazy idea was forming in her head_

_“I got her name” she said proudly_

_“Already?” The man laughed “And how are YOU planning to name OUR daughter?” he asked stressing both words_

_“No, I’m not gonna tell you, it was my idea and I gotta guarantied nobody steals it” she said in a serious voice_

_“I swear I’m not going to steal your idea, Babs” he said in a fake serious tone_

_She looked at him with fake suspicious eyes and the she cracked a smile_

_“Robin” the redhead said softly touching her baby’s nose_

_And Richard was speechless…Robin. For all the things the name meant. Yeah…Robin_

_“Robin Marie Grayson it is” Richard said and he leaned carefully to kiss his wife’s lips with Robin secured between them. Barbara smiling against his lips._

Life was perfect then.

Sweet and painful memories. Because now they were just that. Memories.

“We are here” Jason announced trying not to startle Richard, who was obviously lost in his own mind.

Dick didn’t answered, he just climbed out of the car silently and let Tim and Jay follow him into the building. He didn’t take the elevator to the sixth floor, he took the stairs. Typical of the young acrobat to put away thoughts with movement. But it didn’t took too long until they arrived at the floor and reached the door number four.

He knocked once and waited.

Wally opened and the moment he saw Dick’s face, he just knew it. Wally didn’t lost a moment to embrace his best friend, trying to provide the little comfort he was able to give. He wasn’t surprised when the ebony haired man didn’t hug back.

“Hey, bro” Wally said and let the three of them in.

“Where is she?” Dick questioned immediately after arriving to the living room

“She is with Arty in our bedroom” Wally said not giving importance at Dick’s rudeness “I’ll go get her” he disappear into one of the doors in the hallway

They didn’t wait long before Wally appeared again with a pink bundle in his arms and Arty behind him. Artemis looked beyond worried and it took a look at Dick for his worry to become pain. But somehow all the attention of the black haired boys was in the bundle in Wally’s arms.

Dick took his daughter forms his best friend’s arms

“She is awake” Wally said and his friend nodded. She usually was awake at this time of the evening/night.

Richard uncovered her carefully and the room went silent.

There in front of Tim’s eyes was a baby, a more or less three months old baby. With white as cream skin, soft and short red hair. She was an angel. With sparkling blue eyes just like her father’s and perfect features. Soft cheeks and pouty lips…she was beyond beautiful.

“Tim…this is Robin” Dick said barely above a whisper kissing his daughter’s head.

* * *

 

They had left Wally’s place short after Tim met little Robin. Jason promised to call latter, to let them know about Barbara.

The ride to the manor had been silent with Robin sleeping in his daddy’s arms at the backseat of the car. The arrived without any inconvenience and Jason parked the car in front of the door. 

“Tim” Richard said feeling the unstoppable coming once they had entered to the house

“What is it?” the young man asked turning to face Richard

“Can you hold her for a minute?” Dick handed his daughter to Tim and he grabbed her with no complain. That’s when Dick’s knees buckled and his vision went completely dark.

“Master Richard!” Alfred, who was entering the room just in the moment that Dick fell to the floor, said  

Jason caught Dick before he hit his face with the hard floor

“Dick!” Tim tried not to shout for the baby sleeping in his arms, but watching his brother faint like he did was enough to almost drop the baby and run at Richard’s side. Fortunately for Robin he didn’t do it.

Jason was now trying to drag his brother to the living room where he could lay him in the couch.  

“Master Jason? What’s happening? What is wrong with Master Richard?” Alfred hurried his way beside Jason and Dick.

“I don’t know” Jason said as he lied Dick in the couch “I guess he is just exhausted and…well, you heard what happened” Jason said with a sight

“Indeed. I suppose Master Richard is going to be staying here until he is repose enough to continue” Alfred said as his eyes darkened. No one knew how much time Dick will take until he was good enough to leave or even lest to be himself again. Maybe he never would…

It was until then that Alfred noticed young Tim carrying a baby in his arms as the most naturally thing in the world.

“Master Tim….Who is this you’re carrying?” he said lifting a brow.

Jason and Tim looked at each other speechless. No even Alfred knew about her and Alfred knew about everything going on with them.

“She is Robin, Dick’s daughter” Jason said waiting for the reaction of the old butler.

“Richard’s daughter?” he said now lifting both brows

“His and Barbara’s” Tim said quietly almost shy to pronounce the name of the once first Batgirl

“Oh” was the only reaction that came from the butler

“Dick would have to explain a lot of thing once his is ready, but for now, let’s just take good care of her until his dad is well enough to do it himself” Tim said looking down at the baby. She was sleeping as well as his dad.

“I must prepare a room for Master Richard and Miss Robin, then” Alfred said and though he looked calm, everyone knew better, he was trying to process all that information and not to break in the process, as everyone. The butler left with no other word.

“Here let me hold her, you go help Alf” Jason said extending his arms toward Robin

“Yeah, ok” Tim said letting Jason take the baby girl form his arms. He left behind Alfred, letting Jason, Dick and Robin alone.

 _“Oh, girl, your daddy is a mess right now”_ he thought as he placed himself with the baby in one of the armchairs _“Guess I’m gonna have to stick around to take care of you and him, don’t you think Robin?”_ he asked mentally to the sleeping baby. A shy smiled escaped his lips at the thought of the little girl in his arms growing up with the name that all of them had carried once in their lives.  They had chosen the right name.


	3. Chapter 3

He was lying somewhere soft and warm. No sound around him besides someone’s soft breathing. No sound... He opened his eyes slowly, trying to figure out where he was. His mind was a mess and his head and back hurt a lot.

" _Maybe"_  he thought as he recalled where he had fallen asleep  _"It’s because I slept on a couch"_  A couch?

He took a look at his surroundings. He was in the manor. And then he recalled the events of the previous day.

As the memories began to fill his mind his stomach flipped. He ran to the bathroom. Painful heaves made his body shaky and clammy with sweat. The floor was moving as well as the walls and the ceiling. The whole world was spinning and he was short of breath. Everything was just wrong!

"It's ok, Dick" a gentle hand was drawing shooting circles in his back while he emptied his stomach contents

"Just breathe, big brother. Deep breaths" He recognized Tim's soft voice trying to soothe him.

After what felt as an eternity the nausea seemed to ease and his body relaxed, almost going limp into the embrace of his little brother.

"How are you feeling?" Tim asked after a moment of silence in the bathroom.

"Crappy" Dick answered in a bitter whisper.

Tim went silent.

"Where's my daughter?" the older one asked with a hoarse voice; trying unsuccessfully to regain some of his composure.

"Jason is with her, she woke up like twenty minutes after you… went to sleep. We've been trying to get her to sleep, but she is restless and upset. She only seems calm with Jason but even he hasn't got her to sleep." Tim said with a note of amusement in his quiet voice.

"She likes him." Dick stated.

"She does, but I think she wants her dad." Tim said getting up from the floor and helping Richard to stand up. The acrobat tried his best to look a little more like himself by splashing some water on his face and hair, but the reflection in the mirror was way worse than he had thought it would. Deep shadows framed his blue eyes, his skin was sickly pale and his hair was messier than ever. He looked awful.

"You should go upstairs, she is in your room… or what used to be you room." Tim's voice was calm but it was obvious that he was tired.

"You should sleep too, you know." The bags under his younger brother's eyes were almost as large as his own, "What is it, three in the morning?”

"Actually two, you only slept for three hours." Tim told him while they exited the bathroom

"That’s longer than I thought." he said, kind of surprised.

The younger one just glanced at him with troubled eyes.

While they were approaching the second floor of the extensive manor Richard thought of his daughter waiting for him upstairs.

" _Robin doesn't want her father,"_  he thought with grief in his heart  _"She needs and wants her mother."_  It was just a thought, he wasn't going to elaborate on it at the moment because he knew that once he did the world would collapse yet one more time. He wasn't ready. Not yet.

They opened the door to Richard's room and found Jason lying in the bed with baby Robin on his chest. Face to face. Tim couldn't suppress the smile forming in his lips. Jason was talking in whispers to the baby but when his gaze fell on Dick and Tim he stopped abruptly.

Ashamed and flushed Jason put the baby in his arms and walked over where Richard was standing.

At the sight of her dad, Robin flashed a tender smile and extended her little chubby arms towards him.

"Hey baby girl." Dick said extending his arms to take Robin. She was soft and smelled amazing. Her soft locks of hair were sticking out in odd angles but otherwise there was no sign of her being restless or upset.

Robin bounced lightly in her dad's arms with joy and started making soft little noises that lit up the faces of her uncles and dad.

"She ate?" Richard asked looking at Jason.

"No, but I don’t think she´s hungry, after all this is not her normal routine and it's two in the morning, maybe you should rock her to sleep." the green eyed man suggested

"Maybe." Was the only thing Richard said before sitting on the edge of the bed with Robin cradled comfortably in his arms. Dick began a slow rocking motion with his eyes lost in his daughter's face. He wasn't smiling but his eyes were shining in a good way.

Jason and Tim took the sight as a cue to leave the young father alone with the baby girl. Then when both his brother had left Richard began to softly hum a well know melody that Babs used to sing to Robin.

" _Heaven can wait and a band of angels wrapped up in my heart will take me through the lonely night, through the cold of the day. And I know, I know, Heaven can wait…" the sweet soft voice of Barbara singed to the baby the night she was born. It was a tender and soft singing. She was half lying in the bed with her daughter bundled in her chest. They both looked beautiful "…And all the gods come down here just to sing for me. And the melody's gonna make me fly, without pain, without fear…"_

_Then his wife looked up to him and smiled with adoration. He smiled back and got nearer to embrace both his girls._

" _Give me all of your dreams and let me go along on your way. Give me all of your prayers to sing and I'll turn the night into the skylight of day. I got a taste of paradise, I'm never gonna let it slip away." Barbara kept singing in the same tender tone, caressing Robin's soft mop of hair while the baby slept._

_And suddenly the song she was singing gained sense…heaven could wait…this was better. Barbara, Robin and Richard. Finally his own family. Yeah there were Bruce, Jay, Tim, Dami, Alfred, Steph and Cass. But these girls were just for him. Just his perfect little heaven._

The memory faded away when Robin sighed deeply in her sleep.

This was his heaven now, and he would have to accept it. His heaven was missing an angel. Maybe it wasn't even a heaven. Maybe he had been gifted with two angels and now one of them was gone.

A single tear rolled down his cheek.

Barbara was really gone and he was left with a three month old baby in his care.

Life was about to get messy.

"Don't worry, princess. We'll manage. It's what mommy would have done" he looked down at his baby, "You have your mommy's hair, and I bet you will have her personality too. You're going to be strong and brave and beautiful like her. You'll see my little Robin" he thought as he moved to the middle of the bed with the baby, "We'll manage." He lay down, placing the baby girl on his left side. Dick closed his weary eyes and sleep took him almost instantly.

Morning was barely beginning when a very tired Bruce entered the manor followed by Damian; who didn't look any better than his father. They made their way toward the kitchen where only Alfred greeted them.

"Master Bruce, Master Damian." he said as he flipped a pancake, "Coffee, Master Bruce?" he offered

"Please, Alfred." Bruce said, taking a seat and the bar of the kitchen. Damian excused himself and walked to his room, the boy was beyond tired after spending the night at the hospital. Jason had arrived in the morning to change places with them until someone else could take his place.

Both Bruce and Alfred watched the young boy until he disappeared through the door. Only then did Bruce let out a deep sigh.

"How is Dick?" The younger man asked as Alfred placed a mug filled with steaming coffee in front of him.

"Master Dick is… tired. He and young Miss Robin are sleeping in one of the rooms upstairs." Alfred didn't want to bring out the shattered state of the young acrobat but eventually Bruce's raised eyebrows made him talk, "He's shattered, Bruce." The use of only the name of the younger man testified to the graveness of the situation

"I don't know what can I say to him; when he left the hospital he looked so lost… and then we have his daughter in the mix of things… he shouldn't be in this mess, Alfred. He bore enough when his parents died and now Barbara…" Bruce ran his fingers through his hair in an act of tiredness and impatience.

"Master Jason and Tim filled me in." he said and was at that moment that Bruce noticed the slight redness of Alfred eyes.

"She was so young, Alfred. With her daughter and Dick; she had a life waiting for her." Bruce said with anger in his voice, "I was in the hospital all night waiting for news about what had… happened and the only thing that they told me this morning was that her blood was infected with some kind of bacteria that eventually reached her heart and infected it. Slowly the infection led to a cardiac arrest that they weren't able to fight it because of the weakened state of her heart. They'll have more answers in the evening but it seems legit." Bruce said, knotting his browns in frustration.

He was angry because apparently the thing that had taken Barbara's life was something completely natural, no robbers, no villains, no weapons or anything like that. Just a disease. Nothing they could take revenge on.

"You should go talk with Master Richard once he is awake." Alfred said with darkened eyes.

"Yeah, we have to sort out a lot of things, even more so with Robin here. I don't know what will happen with Nightwing and we still have the matter of the child being hidden from us until now to deal with." Bruce let out an exasperated sigh.

"Indeed, sir. Some things must be sorted out." Alfred added while turning to the oven to finish the breakfast

Tim joined them in the kitchen not long after; looking tired and somehow older than the night before.

"Hey" he said simply, leaning against the door frame "Steph is on her way here, I suppose we'll need a lot of help with this."

"I suppose." Bruce said sipping at his coffee, "Is Dick up already?"

"There are no sounds coming from his room, but you can try, maybe he is. Although I suggest letting him come out of his room when he is ready." Tim told Bruce as he received a mug from Alfred, "Thank you, Alfred"

"You're welcome, Master Tim." was said softly in response

After a moment of silence Bruce said: "I think we should start with arrangements of the funeral."

Tim face went pale at that but it didn't take long before he composed himself.

"I can do that with Steph." he knew it was going to be hard on both of them but someone had to do it and he knew it was going to be even harder for Dick.

"I know, but we'll have to ask some Richard for some details." Bruce said with a pained expression.

"Of course." Tim said and silence plagued the room once more. Making everyone remember the redheaded young woman who had loved Richard so much not even two days ago. Everything was silent until the unmistakable sound of a baby's cry let itself be heard.

Robin was awake, which meant Dick was also about to be.

This was going to get hard. Well… harder.

"Shhhh, baby girl." Dick said rocking Robin in his arms while pacing the room "I'm here… I'm here"

The sound of the door opening startled both father and baby.

"Maybe she’s hungry?" Bruce's voice was low and somehow a little worried.

"It's time for her to eat breakfast, but her bag is in my car, I have to go get it" he said moving closer to his father figure, "Can you hold her for a minute?"

Bruce stared at Dick in surprise (as much surprise as Bruce can show).

"Do you want me to carry her?" he asked with a prickle of amazement in his voice.

"Please" the blue-eyed acrobat said with almost pleading eyes.

Bruce took the baby out of his first son arms. Feeling more than clumsy, she was so little and fragile. Even Dick hadn't been this little. He was feeling so uncoordinated and clumsy… He was the freaking Batman for god sake! He shouldn’t feel like this!

"Mind her head." Dick said as he left the room.

Meanwhile it seemed as if little Miss Robin wanted to cry herself unconscious with a red face and tear-streaked cheeks.

"Hey… shhh… Calm down please…" But the baby didn't quiet down.

Bruce began rocking her gently trying to calm her down with just the enough self-control to not use his Batman voice (useless on a baby but he could try) not when the baby in his arms was his… his… granddaughter? The thought made his head hurt.

She actually calmed a little, just making little whining noises every now and then.

"Her name is Robin." the voice of Dick announced as he returned to the room, "Robin Marie Grayson." he had a bottle in his hand

"It's beautiful." Bruce commented, "She is beautiful too." he felt so out of place

"Thanks." Dick said with a tiny smile on his lips, "She looks just like her mom." and the smile disappeared.

He took his daughter and began feeding her. None of them talking at all, until the baby fell back asleep in her daddy's arms. Bruce was still standing in the middle of the room.

"I don't get why this is happening, Bruce." Richard said in a broken whisper that made Bruce's heat to  clench painfully "We were going to be happy and now she's gone." he placed little Robin in the middle of the bed and covered her with the soft comforter.

Bruce didn't know what to say to make his son feel better, more than that he knew that there were no words that would have made him feel any better. So he did something he hadn't done in a long time, almost since Dick was just a kid. He hugged him.

"I'm sorry, chum. I'm so sorry" he said softly as Dick began to cry silently, "You'll be ok, chum" he repeated the long forgotten pet name he used to call him, "It's going to get better"

The stayed like that for a while until Dick let out a long sigh and gently tried to get loose from the hold.

"You know we are here for you, right?" Bruce asked looking his son in the eyes

Richard just nodded.

"We'll get through this."

Bruce was not one to comfort other people, but he was sure Dick needed this and he was willing to do it just for him. Everything he said he meant. Things were going to get better, eventually.

         

 

**Author's Note:**

> Did you liked it? Please let me know!


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